Amendment XXIII (1961)

Section 1
The District constituting the seat of government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:

A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a state, but in no event more than the least populous state; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the states, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a state; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

Section 2
The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Interpretation

By Mad Mike

People who live in Washington, D.C. are allowed to vote for President and granted three electoral votes, the minimum number of Electoral College ballots. (Before this amendment, residents of the District of Columbia were prohibited from voting for President).

Amendment XXIV (1964)

Section 1
The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

Section 2
The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Interpretation

By Mad Mike

People can not be denied the right to vote in federal elections – either primaries or general elections – because they had not paid a tax on voting. (Before this amendment, poor people, and most particularly ethnic and racial minorities, were effectively kept from voting by such “poll taxes” that they simply could not afford to pay. This prohibition on poll taxes was later extended to state and local elections, as well.)

Amendment XXV (1967)

Section 1
In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Section 2
Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Section 3
Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

Section 4
Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

Interpretation

By Mad Mike

Established procedures to follow in the case of presidential death and/or disability. States for the first time in the Constitution that the Vice President, when taking over the office of President after a vacancy occurs, has all of the powers and responsibilities of the presidency. In case of presidential disability, the Vice President and a majority of his/her Cabinet officers may send written notice to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate that the President of the U.S. is “unable to discharge his duties and responsibilities,” the Vice President becomes Acting President. When the President is able to resume the duties that his office requires, he may send written notice to the congressional leadership that he is returning to his office. If the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet officers disagree, they may send written notice to the leaders of Congress. Congress will then decide who should take office as President.

Amendment XXVI (1971)

Section 1
The right of citizens of the United States, who are 18 years of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of age.

Section 2
The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Interpretation

By Mad Mike

If you're 18, you can vote. Personally, I think the legal voting age should be raised to 30...but who am I to say?

Amendment XXVII (1992)

No law varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives shall take effect until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

Interpretation

By Mad Mike

Congress may pass a law increasing their salaries, but cannot collect it until after he or she has been through a federal election.

 
 

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